For seniors who live independently, grocery shopping, preparing meals, and maintaining proper nutrition can be challenging due to health conditions or the natural impacts of aging. However, good nutrition is important for older adults to maintain their health, energy, and independence. This is where Mollies Meals, a home-delivered meal program subsidized by the Allegheny County Area on Aging, plays an important role. Mollie’s Meals not only helps prevent malnutrition, but also reduces hospital visits, and enables seniors to age in place with dignity. This program is about much more than food– it is a lifeline to better health, safety, and dignity for older adults.
One of the exceptional features of Mollie’s Meals is its accessibility. Eligibility for this program is not contingent on one’s ability to pay– instead, Mollie’s Meals is founded on the belief that everyone deserves access to nutritious food, regardless of financial circumstances. Seniors can apply to receive these meals, which are thoughtfully designed to meet their nutritional needs, at little to no cost.
The program’s benefits extend far beyond the food itself. Dedicated volunteers deliver the meals while simultaneously offering warm social interactions and performing informal wellness checks. For some seniors, this may be their only face-to-face contact of the day, providing reassurance and combating feelings of isolation.
Debby and Susan are dedicated Mollie’s Meals volunteers who deliver meals together once a week. Initially nervous when they began, they quickly fell in love with their role after their first recipient greeted them with a warm smile and many thanks. They cherish their weekly deliveries, saying, “We find ourselves in love with all of them.” They look forward to seeing their recipients each week, learning more about their recipients’ lives and sharing parts of their own. The day they deliver Mollie’s Meals has become their “happiest day of the week.”
The program is a testament to the power of community and compassion. Through the collective efforts of the Jewish Association on Aging, volunteers, and supporters, Mollie’s Meals reflects a profound commitment to ensuring no senior goes hungry or unseen. Meals are delivered several times each week to seniors in Squirrel Hill, Greenfield, and parts of Oakland, thanks to the dedication of more than 30 volunteers who make these deliveries their priority.
Even in the recent inclement weather, our volunteers made the trek! When we told the drivers that they should not come if they were concerned about the roads and cold, our volunteer Gail replied, “delivering the meals is the highlight of my week. I am so pleased that my partner Lois and I are a team! We love our ‘job’!”
For additional information, please contact Sharyn Rubin at 412-521-1171. You will be truly delighted that you made the call.
– Sharyn Rubin, MEd
Director of Resident & Community Services